Glenn Martens Bows Out of Diesel With a Milan Show of Texture and Motion

Glenn Martens closed his five-year chapter at Diesel with a final runway show in Milan, bringing an end to a tenure that reshaped the brand's identity.

Held on the outskirts of the city, the event drew crowds of fans hoping to catch a glimpse of arriving celebrities. Backstage, models prepared for a collection that carried forward the label's signature focus on technical fabrics.

The garments leaned heavily on the interplay of materials. Knitwear appeared to break down into denim and leather, while trompe l'oeil effects placed houndstooth and shearling prints onto cotton. Micro denim shorts and leather bombers were constructed from tattered textiles, reinforcing the house's long-running engagement with surface and structure.

The show itself became part of the spectacle. Midway through, scattered members of the audience — clearly dancers — began moving to the music, some alone, others in pairs and groups, as "Love to Love You Baby" played. The movement underscored Diesel's ethos of sexual freedom, and it intensified into headbanging during the final walkthrough.

Martens received a standing ovation as he closed the show. He remains within the OTB group, having taken up a role at Maison Margiela, where he began last year.